


A New Member

by DeeNomilk



Series: Tashok the Dragonborn [11]
Category: Elder Scrolls, Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-14
Updated: 2019-04-14
Packaged: 2020-01-13 00:36:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,301
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18457880
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DeeNomilk/pseuds/DeeNomilk
Summary: Having Inigo as a dedicated friend turns out to be quite the blessing.





	A New Member

“Most decent people are in their beds, right now.” Inigo groans as he sees Tashok preparing to make yet another potion.

“What? What time is it?” Tashok asks, bags clear under her eyes.

“It’s four, in the morning.” Lucien grits his teeth in irritation.

The two men had been sitting on the bench in the alchemy section of the College. While Lucien had started to doze on and off hours ago with Pearl curled up on his lap, Inigo had somehow remained quite awake, despite the fact that watching Tashok making potions was not the most invigorating sight.

“Oh, you don’t have to stay up with me!” Tashok reaches for an empty vial. “I’ll go to sleep once I’m done with this.”

“Or, perhaps, do not begin making a new potion now that you’ve finished one.” Inigo grunts.

“You look as tired as we do…” Lucien’s tone softens. “Sleeping would do you some good.”

“I’m almost done…” Tashok reaches for her seventh stamina potion in the last hour.

The potion is barely in her hands before it gets snatched by a blue, clawed hand.

“No, no more!” Inigo scolds her. “I am cutting you off, my friend.”

“Hey!” Tashok pouts, reaching for the potion. “I need that!”

“What you need is sleep.”

“I don’t see why you can’t finish this tomorrow…” Lucien sighs, rubbing his face. “Or rather, whenever you wake up.

“Because tomorrow I need to go sell them!” Tashok explains with a yawn. “I want to make it to Birna’s Ornaments, then to Windhelm.”

“Why is this so pressing?”

“You know why! I need money.”

Lucien’s tired mind takes a few seconds to process what Tashok tells him, blinking in confusion, before realization dawns on him.

“Oh! It’s that Sofie girl, isn’t it?” he asks.

“Sofie?” Inigo tilts his head to the side.

“She’s a child, in Windhelm.” Tashok informs after a yawn him. “She’s homeless, and I have to make enough money to let her stay at the inn, and to get a house in Falkreath for her to stay at.”

“I see… And you want to sell your potions in order to have said money.”

“Yes! This is important. Plus I need to get better at alchemy in general. The better my potions, the better the price they can fetch.”

“Why not ask the Arch-Mage if she can stay here with you?” Inigo suggests. “It will save you the cost of paying for a room every day.”

Tashok looks at Inigo like he’s spontaneously turned green. Brelyna is nowhere near, however.

“I… I can’t ask that…” she gasps at him, aghast.

“Why not? He seems like a decent fellow.” Lucien chimes in.

“It doesn’t feel right! I’m already getting a bed and food, and… this!” she gestures to the alchemy station. “For free. I can’t ask him to let someone who’s not a student stay here…”

“He’s let us stay here.” Lucien shrugs. “No one’s really questioned our presence, well, aside from Acano that is, but he hardly counts. And they don’t seem to mind Pearl wandering about either.”

“I…” Tashok hesitates. "I don't want to push my luck."

“Come on, worst case scenario he says no, best case he agrees.” Inigo presses. “You’ve got nothing to lose.”

“I don’t want to seem needy, or like I’m taking advantage.” Tashok admits, ears dropping along with her head.

“We will be there to look menacing and judgemental to… encourage his decision.”

“Don’t… Ugh… I guess it’s worth a try.”

“Yes! You know what else is worth a try?” Lucien takes her by the arm to lead her out of the room.

“Sleep?” Tashok can’t help but to smile sheepishly.

“Sleep.” Lucien nods with a smile.

Tashok snuggles into her bedsheets while Pearl leans onto her side, butting his head against the covers until their shape is satisfactory.

—

“And she has nowhere to stay and it worries me, and I know I’m asking a lot since the College already gives me so much but it wouldn’t be for long, just until I have enough to get a home somewhere and I understand if you say no but I figured I’d ask anyways I’m sorry I bothered you I’ll get going now…” Tashok’s nearly out of breath as she keeps on rambling her request, backing away slowly.

Two hands, one furred and clawed while the other is soft and gentle, come to rest on her back, effectively stopping her from slinking farther away from the Arch Mage.

The Arch Mage’s face had been neutral and frustratingly unreadable during their entire conversation, and remains so even now.

“Tashok, correct?” he asks.

“Uh… Yes, sir.” she stammers.

He chuckles at this, remembering the formality with which she addressed him the first time they met.

“Why don’t you take a seat…” he gestures to one of the chairs beside a small table.

Tashok sits down quickly, twisting the cloth of her robes anxiously between her hands. She looks up apprehensively at the Arch Mage as he takes the seat next to her.

“I can’t say I’ve ever had a request like this before…” he starts.

“I know I’m sorry I’ll drop it forget I asked-” she stops taking when he raises his hand to silence her.

“No need to apologize.” he reassures her. “What I mean to say, is… children never really come to the College: it’s not the safest place and studying is usually reserved for adults. However, so long as this child you speak of understands this and respects the grounds, I don’t see why she can’t stay here with you. You show great promise, and I would pity the idea that we’re somehow hindering your potential.”

“So… She can stay?” Tashok’s ears rise up slightly.

“Yes. If there is trouble I expect you to take responsibility, however.”

“Yes!! I will!” Tashok jumps from her chair, practically yelling. “Thank you sir! Thank you so much!”

Tashok runs towards the exit, grabbing her two friends by the arms and pulling them along with her momentum.

“Come on guys!” her voice shakes with glee and excitement.

“Easy my friend!” Inigo chuckles.

“I’d say it was worth the effort, no?” Lucien can’t help but smile at his friend’s complete glee.

“Let’s go sell these things and get my girl!” Tashok throws on her travelling clothes.

In her excitement, Tashok forgoes her stop at Birna’s Ornaments and heads straight for the path to Windhelm, her brisk pace forcing her two friends to occasionally jog to keep up with her.

“Wait up my friend! Our legs are not quite as long as yours!” Inigo calls out to her.

“Sorry!” Tashok adjusts her speed slightly. “Shorties.”

“I’ll have you know I’m of average height for an Imperial!” Lucien points out.

“I know…” Tashok gives him a smug smile.

With their quick speed, the group gets to Windhelm quicker than any of them expected, arriving in the middle of the afternoon.

“Hey guys, do me a favour and sell these off.” she hands Lucien her bag full of potions. “I’ve listed their approximate value on this piece of paper. I’ll go and find Sofie.”

“Uh, sure…” Lucien takes the list. “See you soon.”

“It is nice to see her this happy.” Inigo comments as they watch her disappear around the corner of Windhelm’s stony walls. “Let us sell these quickly, I would rather we spend as little time as possible here.”

“Agreed. Let’s see what we can do.” Lucien hoists the bag on his shoulder, glancing about.

Meanwhile Tashok find Sofie in the same place she met her over over a month ago, selling her basket of flowers to people coming to and from the docks.

“Sofie!” she calls out as she runs to close the distance.

“Hello again, miss Tashok!” Sofie’s eyes twinkle with excitement at the sight of the Orc.

“I have good news, and a proposal for you.” Tashok kneels on one knee in front of Sofie. “I’m a student at the College of Winterhold, and, if you want, you could stay there with me. They have beds, food, and warmth.”

“Me?” Sofie blinks in surprise. “Live at the College?”

“Yes. If you want. It wouldn’t be forever, just until I have enough money to get us a proper home.”

“Are you… sure? You wouldn’t mind? The mages wouldn’t mind?”

“I can’t speak for all of them, but we have permission from the Arch Mage. As long as you’re careful and don’t cause trouble, you’re welcome to stay with me.”

“Yes! I promise I won’t be any trouble at all!”

“Then it’s settled!”

The small child throw herself at Tashok, who opens her arms and scoops her up in a hug. She makes her way back to the market, still holding on to Sofie, heart beating fast but a with smile spread across her face.

“Can… can I call you mama?” Tashok barely hears the request as Sofie buries her face into her scarf.

“Of course.” Tashok answers while giving the child a light squeeze.

Tashok quickly spots her two friends near the front gates, the potion bag clearly empty.

“Wow, you guys sold them all?!” her eyes widen. “I’m impressed.”

“Yes, well, lots of walking around and persuading, but they’ve sold for quite the decent price.” Lucien hands her a pouch full of septims. “Here you go.”

“I trust this is Sofie?” Inigo asks.

Sofie turns to him at the mention of her name.

“Yes! Sofie, this is my friend Inigo, Inigo, this is Sofie.” Tashok introduces them. “He’s been travelling with me for two weeks now. Saved my skin a few times too.”

Sofie goes to hide closer to Tashok, glancing shyly at the Khajiit, before her eyes fall upon Inigo’s bow.

“You’re an archer like mama?” she asks.

Tashok’s heart flutters at the name.

“Yes I am, little one. I am quite good, actually.” Inigo extends his hand.

“I bet she’s better than you!” Sofie announces proudly after returning the handshake.

Tashok bursts into a loud laugh at this, turning a few of Windhelm’s residents’ heads.

“Isn’t she great?” she chuckles.

—

“This is my room, make yourself comfortable.” Tashok opens the door to her room after a quick tour of the College.

“Pearl!” Sofie sees the familiar cat curled up on the covers.

“Mrrp?” Pearl’s head lifts up when he hears his name. “Myaaa!”

He stands up and quickly closes the distance between he and Sofie, rubbing against her hands as she pets him, already purring.

“I think he missed you.” Tashok’s smile is soft and warm.

“I missed him too.” Sofie hugs the cat close to her cheek.

“So, any questions?”

“Uh, do I have to go to the lectures?”

“Not really. I usually only go to the ones about Illusion, Conjuration or Restoration, and the ones about magical theory in general. For enchanting, it’s kind of hard to learn by just listening to someone, it’s more of a, hands-on type discipline.”

The child hangs on to every word.

“Can you enchant things?” Sofie's eyes twinkle in admiration.

“Sure!" Tashok chirps, before catching herself. "I mean, not very well, I’m still learning, and lately I’ve been working on perfecting my alchemy, mostly.”

“…Cool!”

Sofie lets herself fall onto the bed on her back, still holding Pearl.

“So who’s the grumpy one? The yellow elf?” she asks. “You didn’t introduce me like with the other ones.”

“That would be Ancano…” Tashok hesitates, unsure whether or not she should tell her who Ancano really is. “Don’t mind him. He’s just grumpy because he hates the cold.”

“He should ask you for your warmth balm!” Sofie suggests. “It works really well.”

“Why thank you." Tashok considers the suggestion. It could be a way to get him to be less... hostile, at the very least. "I’ll be sure to ask him next time I get the chance. He usually tries to run away from me.”

“Why?”

“Well, not run, but I noticed he leaves the Arcaneum whenever I enter.”

“Why?”

Tashok shrugs.

“Dunno. Some people are like that.” she replies. Its strange how she can be so nonchalant about this, when it reality, every little bit of perceived rejection typically sends her staggering with some awful feeling spreading from her gut. “Now, it’s getting late, you should go to sleep.”

“What about you?” Sofie asks.

“I’ve… got work to do.”

“But it’s so late! And I missed you too!”

This takes Tashok by surprise. She hadn’t considered the child would want to spend time with her.

“All right…” Tashok gives in. “I’ll come to bed soon.”

Studying will have to wait until tomorrow.

—

A few days pass, surprisingly unevently, which is a welcomed change of pace for Tashok. Her footsteps clink down on the hard stone as she enters the Hall of the Elements in search for Drevis. The two of them were supposed to meet in the Arcaneum earlier today.

Or was it tomorrow?

Tashok bristles at the loud thrumming of the Eye of Magnus, its vibrating energy beckoning her as it always does. It makes her feel positively queasy.

That’s when she notices Ancano, staring deeply into the shifting lights of the Eye with a look of intense concentration.

“How can you even stand that thing?” her question echoes loudly throughout the chamber.

He visibly jumps at her voice.

How did she get so close to him without him noticing?!

“What?” he almost barks, his nerves frayed due to the scare.

“The Eye…” Tashok motions to it. “I hate it… It’s creepy.”

She turns her gaze to it, glowering. Well, as much as she can glower at an inanimate object.

“It radiates power.” Ancano replies, looking back to it almost in awe.

“It’s wrong…” Tashok narrows her eyes.

“Now what makes you say that?” Ancano asks his voice practically dripping with condescension.

“I feel awful whenever I’m near it… It’s like, whispering to me? And I don’t understand what’s being said but it’s like I understand the intent, and it’s not nice.”

Ancano looks at her, studying and perhaps even shocked.

“You can _hear_ it?” he hisses, dumbfounded.

“Yeah, I know it sounds weird…” Tashok looks down in embarrassment.

“I… see.”

She can hear it too?

It doesn’t make any sense… Only he could hear its calling, due to his superior Altmer genes and attunement to ancient magics. So why could _she_ hear it?

“Anyways…” Tashok seems eager to change the subject. “I’ve got something for you.”

“Something important I hope.” Ancano scoffs.

His frustration with the apprentice only grew when he saw she had brought a child into the College with her. A child! And not even her own, clearly.

He can’t keep a pet owl even as the Archmage’s advisor, but the apprentice who’s been here for less than two months can bring in every odd reject she finds…

He glares at her while she digs in the satchel she always carries.

“Here!” she hands him a small jar with a garnet-like gelatinous liquid inside.

“What is that?” he wrinkles his nose at the contents.

“Well, Skyrim is freezing, and Sofie suggested I get you a warmth balm.”

“…What?”

“It’s like a cream, you kinda spread it on your arms, shoulders, even feet if you want, and it makes you feel warmer. Make sure you wash your hands after, though.”

The Thalmor says nothing as he takes the jar and inspects it.

“Where did you find this?” he asks.

Truth be told, the idea of a warmth balm sounds absolutely wonderful after months of being stationed in Skyrim.

“I made it.” Tashok tells him.

“You… made this?” he quirks an eyebrow with suspicion.

“Yeah, I’m an alchemist, remember?”

He recalls, faintly.

“And this is for me?” he eyes her suspiciously. 

“Yes.”

If this apprentice thinks she can bribe him with gifts she has another thing coming.

He’ll keep the balm, of course.

“Fine, fine.” he sighs. “Now, don’t you have anyone else to bother?”

“I’m looking for Drevis, actually, have you seen him?”

“I haven’t been looking.”

With impeccable timing, Drevis himself walks in, scanning his surroundings until his eyes fall on the pair.

“There you are!” he jogs towards Tashok. “I was going to come find you but I forgot where we were supposed to meet, so I went to your room but you weren’t there.”

“I think it was the Arcaneum.” Tashok says.

“Ugh, you’re right. I’m sorry, I’ve been neglecting teaching you…”

“It’s alright, you were sick, remember?”

As if any of them could forget.

“Yes but you’re paying me for these lessons…” Drevis sighs.

“Well, we’re here now!” Tashok clasps her hands together.

“Right… Where were we last time? It’s been so long.”

Tashok thinks for a moment, before beaming and pulling out a small notebook.

“Let’s see my notes!” she opens it up.

She scans the pages before tapping her finger onto a paragraph.

“Aha!” she exclaims. “We were talking about other’s perceptions affecting the effectiveness of the illusions!”

“Yes that’s right!” Drevis nods happily. “You see, the effectiveness of your illusion, along with the amount of concentration needed will depend of the mental fortitude of the target, or the people around you. More often than not, it’s crucial to have a good grasp on the abilities of the targets in order to maximize the odds of a successful illusion…”

Ancano groans before heading out the Hall. Whatever his musings were, they will no doubt be interrupted by the discordant conversation.

—

“I can’t believe it!” Tashok gasps as she takes a nirnroot into her hands, almost reverently. “Look at all these new ingredients!”

“J’Zargo believes Mirabelle sent for them recently.” J’Zargo says from a seat he’s taken near the College’s alchemy table.

“Really?! But why?”

“Why wouldn’t she?” Brelyna comments as she peruses the shelves nearby. “The College had no alchemist before, and now we do. Seems fitting she would get proper ingredients for you.”

“I’m barely past my apprenticeship… I hardly think I’m worth all this effort. Some of these are quite hard to come by.”

Tashok picks up a chaurus egg with her other hand and gives it a light squeeze.

“You’re a student here, and the College’s goal is to help students achieve their potential.” Onmund chimes in from the doorframe. “Of course they’d help you with alchemy.”

“Mh…” Tashok runs her fingers across the nirnroot’s leaves. “I’ll do my best then!”

“I hope your best doesn’t include staying up until morning again.” Brelyna sighs.

“Oh! I did’t keep you up, did I?” Tashok brings a hand to her mouth, face painted with guilt.

“No, we’re just… concerned…”

“Becoming great is important, but being healthy is what truly matters.” J’Zargo sounds almost chastising. “How can you become powerful if you are exhausted?”

“I can handle it.” it’s now Tashok’s turn to cross her arms, seemingly guarded. “I’ve done this before, and I’ve got plenty of stamina potions.”

“A temporary fix.”

“I sleep once I’m done my work!”

“You went three days without sleeping once.” Onmund frowns. “And you only went to bed because your friends forced you.”

“It was actually longer than that…” Tashok lifts her chin up with pride, but scrambles as soon as she notices her friend’s expressions of horror. “And I’m fine, see?”

“Tash!” Brelyna gasps. “Overworking yourself is not a virtue!”

“But hard work is.” Tashok contends. “Faralda said I had potential, I need to live up to it. I need to prove I belong here!”

“You _do_ belong here." Brelyna pauses. "We all do.”

“Wouldn’t you rather spend time with the little one?” Onmund asks.

Tashok glances at Onmund in silence. At the mention of Sofie, Tashok's heart aches for her company.

“I… you’re right.” Tashok admits, pinching the bridge of her nose. “All of you.”

“Of course we are.” J’Zargo states in a matter of factly tone.

 


End file.
